Meet Janeen Jones of Janeen Jones Professional Hair & Makeup

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janeen Jones.

Janeen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I think of how my story began down the path of beauty and styling through hair and makeup it brings me back to growing up in Somerville. I lived in your typical Somerville tenement neighborhood. My family lived next door as well as across the street. I am about 5 years old sitting at my Auntie Marilyn’s kitchen table completely mesmerized watching her put on makeup. I can still remember the waxy smell of that big jar of thick Ponds cold cream and the way she pursed and puckered her lips while applying her blush and fabulous red lipstick. I wouldn’t blink or breathe when I watched…it was like magic to me how it transformed her.

It took years and years to realize that the magic I felt at my Auntie’s table was actually my destiny right before my eyes the entire time. I struggled to find my niche and true direction all throughout high school and into my early twenties despite doing friends’ hair and makeup at every opportunity. I worked on and off from the age of 17 at makeup counters. My aha moment came when a friend who was in cosmetology school told me that I really needed to go and get my license to do hair and makeup. I didn’t even know that there were schools for that…or that I could make a living doing something that I truly loved to do.

She brought me to her school and a week later I quit my full time job and became a full time cosmetology student instead. I will never forget that feeling that washed over me sitting in that classroom that 1st week. As I listened to the teacher explain how shampoo really works for the 1st time ever at 23 years old, I knew without a doubt right then and there that I was exactly where I was supposed to be in life.

For the next 14 years I worked as a hair stylist/colorist, nail technician, and makeup artist. I was so lucky to have been able to work under Cheryl Keefe. Cheryl was my mentor and teacher when my career first began at the salon. To this day I credit her for generously teaching me all that I know…and instilling a core confidence in me and my ability. After 5 years of working in a salon for someone else, I decided it was time for me to work for myself. I began renting my own space at Style by Grayce at 7 Bridge Street in Billerica, Mass. 17 years later, I am still there and honestly love what I get to do for people every day.

About 10 years ago, after experiencing a couple economy slumps and pushing through them financially combined with my need to be creative I decided to explore other avenues within the beauty industry. I came across an online networking site and thought to myself “I can do that”. After making a profile and spending many hours reaching out and networking with people, I began doing trade photo shoots to build my portfolio. All the while watching, listening, learning, and being open to every opportunity that came my way (during all of this I still continued to work full time and manage my salon business). I created a freelance hair and makeup business and have a resume client list that I am very proud of on my website that includes businesses such as; Miller/Coors, BJs Wholesale, Harvard Business, New Hampshire Wedding Magazine, Upscale Living Magazine, & Vogue.

More recently…5 years ago (while still working full time in the salon and doing freelance work here and there) I took notice of the amount of wedding work I was receiving through referrals only. So, I decided to invest time and energy into building a successful bridal business. In the last 5 years after doing many bridal shows and being up on popular wedding sites, I’ve built up my brand, have a team of girls that work with me doing the weddings. I book about 14 to 18 wedding a season all throughout New England, the US, and have been hired to do wedding work in the UK. In conclusion, today I have my salon business, bridal business, and my freelance business. People say, “You are so busy” or “you work so much”, but for me it doesn’t feel like work because I love it so much.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Self-confidence and Self-esteem have been something I have struggle with both professionally and personally my entire life. I have never been the cool kid or popular girl and have had to deal with my share of bullies…not a unique story by any means but it is a key part to my story. Finding, acknowledging, and accepting my worth has been my biggest struggle and is an ongoing constant work in progress. I was told as a teenager that it was more important for my brother to go to college because he was going to have a family to support. I have had family tell me that they didn’t want their child to go to hair dressing school because they wanted them to have a real job. Just recently I had a “colleague” basically say to me in an email that I am not taken serious by industry vendors that I work with. I have to say with age and experience comes wisdom and indifference. I won’t allow myself to engage in negativity or the agendas of people with bad intentions. What I let hurt and affect me before now fuels my ambition and acts as a tool for compassion towards others. My struggle with self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth, I have come to realize, is actually a very useful gift. When I have a client in front of me who is struggling with feeling good about herself, I truly see her. She doesn’t even have to speak, I totally hear her. I know how she feels, I get it. The other huge thing that I struggle with is that I am technology challenged and since it is such a huge part of this industry, I am beyond thankful for people like (to name a few), BethAnn Helgerson, Brittany Paladino, and Amy Jamison.

Please tell us about Janeen Jones Professional Hair & Makeup.
There is no greater satisfaction for me than witnessing someone see themselves for the first time as truly beautiful. I want to leave a positive imprint as best I can on every person that I work with, so I never seek to change how someone looks when I do their hair and makeup. I seek to enhance and polish what is on the outside so it matches the beauty I see on the inside.

I was hired to do hair and makeup on a photo shoot for a conservative woman who needed some professional head shots, mid shoot she decided to be spontaneous and do some pretty and tasteful shots for her husband. As we were shooting, I noticed she stopped and put her head down and was crying. I rushed into her and asked her if she was alright. Her answer to me was a defining moment to me as a professional hair and makeup artist. She said, “I’m sorry, I just feel beautiful’ and then said “I have just never felt like this before”. In that moment I realized most women go through their entire lives without feeling truly beautiful and I just cannot accept that. So, if you ask me what I do? What I am known for and specialize in, and what I am most proud of… it will always be that I can help make women see themselves as truly beautiful.

The question you asked about what sets me apart from others, I wanted to answer separately because it is something that others tell me sets me apart and not what I feel sets me apart from other. I have been told over and over that it is my personality and easy nature that would be an asset to me and take me far in this industry (I am very happy to learn that just being myself could take me as far as I have come).

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Had I known that I would be managing 3 businesses on my own, I would have pursued some type of business management education. Especially where I am such a creative brain type.

Contact Info:

• Address: Janeen Jones at
  Style by Grayce
  7 Bridge Street
  Billerica, Massachusetts 01821
• Website: www.janeen-jones.com
• Phone: 978-667-9499
• Email: jjimagewiz11@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/janeen_jones
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/JaneenJonesHMUA/?ref=br_rs
• Twitter: twitter.com/jjonesstyle

Image Credit:
Susan Walker
Michael Falco
Conor Doherty
Zack Stone

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